Fluid-gage



H. HASTINGS.

FLUID GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 91a.

Patented June 3, 1919.

I/I/VE/l/TOR I WITNESSES.

ma. wAsmNGwN. n. c.

no STATES PATENT onnion.

HERBERT HASTINGS,'OF BRIGHTON, NEW YORK.

. FLUID-GAGE.

Application filed July 17, 1918. Serial No. 245,412.

This invention relates particularly to:

gages for indicating theamount of gasolene in tanks, as used onautomobiles but obviously may be used for other liquids and in otherapplications and the objects of my in-.

vention are To provide improved means of transmitting motion from thefloat member to the indicating member.

To provide an assembly 7 which shall be free from the possibility of anypart becoming loose or detached through the loosening of screws, bolts,rivets or the like.

. To provide an actionwhich'can only be 7 disassembled or taken apartby'distorting or mutilating oneor more of the parts.

To provide means for locating the action element of the gage on theflange which supports it on the tank and also means for preventing saidaction element from swinging away from its seat on the flange before theretaining members are applied.

To provide means for attaching thedial to the action member without theuse of additional parts.

The above, objects may be obtained in many different arrangements andcombinations of parts. I have chosen to illustrate my invention by theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partial sectional view inelevation, taken through the center line of thev a e. g Fig. 2 is apartial side View in elevation of the support member, shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the gage head, showing the-cap, dial andpointer.

Fig. 4' is a plan view of the flange which adapts the gage action to thetank.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view in elevation taken on the line Z Z of Fig.4:.

Fig. 6 is'a plan view of the action plate.

Fig. 7 is "a sectional View in elevation taken on the line XX of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the dial blank. Fig. 9 is a cross sectionalview in elevation of'the dial blank and action plate shown assembled.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts throughout the diflerentviews.

1 is a flange designed for attaching to a tank and provided with meansfor receiving and supportingthe action assembly of the gage. This flangeis provided with an inturned flange 1 which is formed with the exteriorportion projecting above the interior portion, thus forming'an internalre- 7 Specification of Letter s Patent. Patented June 3 1919 cessed scatadapted to receive the action 1 plate 2. ears 2, projecting downwardlyfrom the plate proper about the thickness of the metal from which theyare made and another ear 2 is provid'ed projecting downwardly, a greaterdistance thus forming space between the lower edge of the plate "properand the top'surface of the ear, a little in excess of the thickness ofthe inturned flange 1 V The inturned flange 1 is perforatedsomewhat'less in diameter than the diameter of the action plate 2, andthe flange is IIOtChBdIOHt. at 1*, to accommodate the ears 2 of theplate 2 and the ear 2* is adapted to engage underneath the unnotchedportion.

of the flangel, opposite the middle one of the slots 1". The objectobtained by thus engaging the ears 2 with the slot 1", is the locatingof'the plate 2 concentric in the re-' cess of the flange 1, and alsotokey .it in a predetermlned' position relative to either center line and,further, the ear 2 engaglng underneath the flange 1, prevents the action7 plate from rocking off from the seat of the flange when the .flange'istilted out of a horizontal plane. The reason for making this provisionis as follows:

' It very often happens that it is desirable to install a gage in thetank in a position which does not maintain the gage action in a verticalposition and in assembling the gage on the flange when the latter hasbeen applied to the tank; unless this provision is made, the gage has atendency to assume a' vertical position, which causes the gage plate torock out of the lower slde of its seat Action plate 2 isprovided withand the provision above prevents this, While the complete assembling ofthe gage in the flange is accomplished as below described.

The action plate is further provided with two notches 2, which areadapted to receive the down turned ears 3, of the dial 3, for locatingit concentric with the plate and in a predetermined position relative toa predetermined center line. In attaching the dial to the plate, theears 3, are turned underneath the edge of the plate, as shown in Fig. 9and the portions of the ears on the underside thereof are accommodatedin the notches 1 provided therefor in the flange 1. The gage plate isperforated at 2 and 2". The perforations 2 are adapted to receive theshoulder ends a of the action support 4 and these ends are retained inthe plate by riveting'over the upper end. The hole 2 is adapted toreceive the reduced end 5 of the pointer stem 5 and the shoulder formedat this reduction bears on the under side of the plate and retains thestem against upward motion. Near the lower end, the; pointer stem isformed, so as to provide a radial projection 5 and the extreme lower endis reduced in diameter, providing the pivot point 5 and the shoulderformed between this pivot point and the stem furnishes a shoulderengaging with the lower portion of the action support 4 and retains thestem against displacementin a downward direction. The action support 4is iiormed with a flattened loop at its lower end. this loop forming asegment of a circle, the center of which is coincident with theintersection of tne axis of the stem with the center line of the radialportion thereof, and this flattened loop is provided with two perforations 4 the center lines of which are in alinement, one with theother and which center line passes through the above intersection andforming an acute angle with the center line of the pointer stem. In practice, I find that good results are had when this angle is about 30degrees with the normal to the center has of the pointer stem. Engagingw h the radialportion 5 of the pointer stein, is a slotted lever 6,provided with a slot- 6 and, in assembling the action, the pointer stemis passed through this slot, so that the radial portion ofthe pointerstem is in engagement with this slot when the slotted lever is assembledinthe support. The slotted lever is provided with trunnion projections6, which are adapted to bear in the perforations 4 of the support, andwhen the lever is thus assembled within the loop of the support and thepointer stem passed through it, as described with its upper bearing inthe action plate and its lower bearing in the support, as the lever isrotated upon its trunnion center, the motion of rotation is transferredto the pointer stem throughout the complete arc of action. To

the slotted plate is attached a float rod 7 to the extreme lower end ofwhich is attached a float 8. This float is adapted to float upon thesurface of the liquid in which the gage is to be used and as thissurface rises or falls the float goes with it and the motion istransferred through the float rod to the slotted lever and hence to thepointer stem and pointer?) attached thereto, and traversing thegraduated are 3" of the dial 3, indicates the relative position of thesurface of the liquid in the tank. 7

A further and important consideration of my invention rests in therelative diameter of the action plate 2, the dial 3, the perforation 10of the cap 10 and the internal diameter of the washers 11 and 12. Gageshave previously I been made in which the dials are of the same diameteras the action plate 2 and are contained within the recessed seat 1 of 1,and in such a construction inasmuch as the internal diameter of theretaining gasket 11 must be smaller than the dial, in order to retain itin its seat on the flange, this necessitates that the perforation in thecap be smaller in diameter than the outside diameter of the actionplate, in order to line up with the internal diameter of the washers,and further this necessitates that the action plate be made larger thanthe cap perforation and therefore of a separate piece of material. In myinvention, I effect a two-fold economy by making the action plate fromthe blank perforated from the cap. This is accomplished by making thedial enough larger in diameter than theaction plate to permit of amplebearing surface against the retaining washerand the action of theseretaining washers forces the outer edge of thedial. against the flangeoutside of the recess and the washer compresses over the edge of thedial and forms a seal outside thereof on the flange. The flange 1 isthreaded externally at 1 and the cap 10 is threaded internally at 10",the cap is flanged internally at 10 and perforated at 10 as above. Inthe inside of the cap are assembled the washer 12, the glass 13 and thewasher 10. The following is the procedure in assembling the completedgage on the. flange. The float end of the action is inserted through thecircular perforation of the flange and the ear 2 of the action plate ishooked under the internal flange 1 of l and the ears 2 of theactionplate 2 are brought into engagementwith the perforations l of 1,the action is thus located and retained by gravity in its seat. The cap10 with the parts assembled therein as above, is then screwed over theflange, bringing the washer 11 tight against the flange and dial thusforming a seal against leakage past the threads, also spacing theglassabove the dial and the gasket 12 forms a seal against leakage abovethe glass.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a fluid gage, atubular casing provided with an inturned flange, a depressed annularrecess provided in said flange, a dial adapted to rest on the flangeoutside of said recess, a plate adapted to be supported in said recess,a float mechanism supported on the underside of said plate, means forretaining the plate in the seat.

2. In a fluid gage, a tubular casing provided with an inturned flange, adepressed annular recess provided in said flange, a dial adapted to reston the flange, outside of said recess, a plate adapted to be supportedin said recess, means for attaching the dial to the plate, a floatmechanism supported on the underside of said plate, means for retainingthe plate in the seat.

3. In a fluid gage, a tubular casing, provided with an internal flangeand with a nominally circular central perforation with locating notchesand with unnotched portions, a plate provided with locating ears adaptedto engage said notches and a retaining ear adaptedto engage ontheunderside oi the unnotched portion of the lnternal flange, a floatmechanism supported from the underside of said plate, a dial supportedon the upperside of said plate and means for retaining said dial andplate in position on the flange.

4c. In a fluid gage, a tubular casing provided with an internal flange,a depression 7 therein spaced back from the edge thereof,

a notched perforation in said depressed por- 7 tion, a plate withprojections for engaging said notches and with another projectionadapted to engage underneath an unnotched portion of the flange, asupport suspended from the underside of the plate, a pointer stempivoted in the support, a lever also pivoted in the support inengagement with the pointer stem, a float attached to said lever, a dialon the upper side of said plate with its outer edge resting on theflange outside of said depression and means for retaining the dial andplate in position upon the flange.

5. In a fluid gage, a graduated dial, a stem provided with a pointer fortraversing the graduations and a radial projection, a lever engaging theprojection, a float attached to the lever, means for supporting the stemand lever in revoluble engagement.

6. In a fluid gage, a plate, a stem provided with a pointer at one endand a radial projection, a lever engaging the projection, a floatattached to the lever, means for revolubly supporting the stem and leverso that the lever engages the radial portion of the stem with the axisof rotation of the stem and lever and the axis of the radial portion ofthe stem meeting at a common point with the two axes of rotation formingan acute 7 angle with each other.

7. In a fluid gage, a revoluble pointer stem with a pointer at its upperend, an oscillating lever adapted to impart an oscillatory motion to thestem and having shouldered trunnion bearing projections, a sup port forthe stem and lever provided with holes adapted to receive the trunnionbearings of the lever, said bearings being brought into and retained inengagement with the holes by springing or expanding the lever, afloatrod attached'to the'lever'and a float attached to the rod.

8. In a fluid gage, a plate, a dial provided with ears adapted to bebent into engagement with the plate, a pointer above the dial, a pointerstem, a float, means for transmitting motion from the float to the stem,

means for retaining said several means in" operative engagement and formounting theniin a tank. 7

9. In a liquid gage, a pointer, a pointer stem provided With'a radialprojection, a lever provided with a slot adapted to 'engage said radialprojection and pivoted'to swing at an angle with the center line of thestem, a float attached to the lever, a member in which the stem andlever are pivoted, a plate to which the member is attached and means forsupporting the plate on a tank. I HERBERT HASTINGS.

Witnesses:

EDNA M. OARMonY, WM. MnLoAHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). G.

